


Mistletoe Mayhem

by Curly_Kay



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Banter, Christmas Fluff, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fake French Traditions, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Marauders Fest 2020, Mistletoe, Weaponized Baguettes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:06:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27698056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Curly_Kay/pseuds/Curly_Kay
Summary: The truth twisted in the pit of Hermione's stomach as she lowered her voice to a raw whisper. “It doesn’t matter what I want. I’m not meant for you.”With a look of utter bewilderment, Sirius moved toward her until he was just a heartbeat away. “Hermione,” he breathed out her name in a way no one had ever said it before, “the only thing in this world that I’m absolutely certain of, is that you are.”------------------------One year after being thrown back in time during the battle in the Department of Mysteries, Hermione celebrates Christmas in 1978. When a charmed mistletoe goes rogue, she's forced to confront her feelings for a certain silver-eyed Marauder.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Hermione Granger
Comments: 60
Kudos: 464
Collections: The Marauders Advent 2020





	Mistletoe Mayhem

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Marauders Advent 2020 fest with the prompts Holiday Party and Sirius Black ❤️
> 
> A massive thank you to breathofthephoenix for being a wonderful beta and amazing friend!!
> 
> Merry Christmas! 🥰

The moment Hermione Granger locked eyes with Remus Lupin, she tossed him a look and shook her head. “ _Please_ don’t start, I’ve already heard it all tonight.” Her fingers drummed against the side of her cup filled with Butterbeer.

His lips twisted into a wry grin as his gaze fixed on her jumper. “The glowing nose on the snowman was a nice touch.”

“Sirius messed up his Muggle Christmas stories, mixed together Frosty and Rudolph,” she grumbled, twisting a lock of her hair between her fingers.

“That does make sense why Frosty is pulling a sleigh.”

The jumper in question was something of Sirius’ own creation, a white sweater with gaudy red and gold snowflakes charmed to swirl whenever she moved, a sleigh pulled by a snowman with a glowing nose, and a dozen dancing Christmas trees along the hemline. The finishing touch was an obscene amount of sparkles—it looked as if Sirius dumped an entire jar of gold glitter on the jumper, a faint trail of sparkles following her everywhere she went. 

With a grimace, she crossed her arms over her chest, partially covering the monstrosity she had to wear for the night. She knew even years later when she was back in her own time that she’d never forget the look of glee in Sirius’ eyes as he handed her the jumper. 

To her abject horror, the attempt to cover the pattern triggered a charm and Frosty spoke, “I get chopped, decorated, and on one end you’ll see wings. What am I?”

She frowned, staring down at the snowman and wondering why it just spouted off a riddle.

Frosty repeated himself once more before she felt a feathery tickle on her sides, increasing in discomfort until she was clutching at her sides with her free hand and choking out a laugh, nearly spilling her drink. “Stop—just—ahh! A Christmas tree!”

Remus belly laughed and she swatted at him, sticking her tongue out as the tickle charm ceased. “You know, Hermione, I’d feel bad for you but you didn’t listen to me. I warned you not to make a bet with Sirius.”

“It was an easy win!”

His brows disappeared behind his sandy-blond fringe. “And yet you lost. You only had to go two hours without correcting anyone.”

“ _Remus_ ,” she emphasised his name, “I overheard him telling a first year that identical twins have to share one brain between them and when one of them wants to use the brain they have to perform a seance so a ghost healer can reach into the skull and retrieve it.”

“That’s all it took to get you to break?”

“No,” she huffed, “then he followed that up by using ‘affect’ and ‘effect’ incorrectly in his History of Magic essay.”

Lily slipped in the space next to Hermione with a look of incredulity. “Someone confused ‘affect’ and ‘effect’? That’s pitiful. I keep telling Dumbledore we need to add grammar to the curriculum, or at the very least as a subset of Muggle Studies.”

“Don’t get me started,” she insisted, shaking her head and jostling her curls. “It was an intentional mistake. He did it on purpose to rile me up.”

Her mouth dropped when her gaze landed on Hermione’s top. “My goodness. Is this why you left Beauxbatons? Did they kick you out of France for your complete lack of fashion sense?”

“Ha ha, very funny,” Hermione gritted out, the words dripping with sarcasm. “As if I’m not suffering enough as is.”

Lily’s brows lifted as she watched the Christmas trees shimmy with great enthusiasm. “I could’ve let you borrow a jumper if you’d only asked. Just because I’m not living in the Gryffindor Tower with you anymore doesn’t mean you have to resort to wearing...whatever that is.”

Catching herself just before she set off the riddle again by trying to hide the horrid design, Hermione released a harsh exhale. “Sirius,” she said as explanation.

“Ohhh.” A sly sort of smile spread across Lily’s lips as she rocked back onto her heels. “I see.”

“I warned her,” Remus added.

Tutting softly under her breath, Lily gave him a sympathetic look. “It’s not your fault, Remus. I don’t think anyone can get through to the two of them when they’re together. They’re in their own little world.”

“Tell me about it, he’s never been so irritating about a witch before.”

“Wild infatuation makes people do crazy things.” Lily sighed in a theatrical fashion. “And the rest of us have to stand by and witness their bizarre mating rituals.”

Biting the inside of her cheek, Hermione narrowed her eyes. “Hey!”

The two looked at her in surprise, as if having forgotten she was still standing there.

“It’s not like we’re the only ones to notice. It’d be impossible to spend five minutes with the two of you and not see the way you are with each other, Hermione.” Remus ran a hand through his styled hair, tussling it slightly. “I’ve never seen Sirius open up to anyone the way he does for you.”

With a scoff, she shook off the comment but it filled her chest with warmth. “That’s not true, you Marauders are closer than we could ever be.”

“It’s not the same. He doesn’t trust easily, you know that.” His voice was gentle but firm. “You’ve been good for him.”

She felt the tips of her cheeks heat under their stares and she looked away. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a hint of red hair and Gryffindor robes, and she felt her heart stop in her chest. When the boy turned around and was not Ronald Weasley, she felt a rush of disappointment pass through her. 

“What are you thinking about? You seem rather distracted.” The sound of Lily’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“Just...home,” Hermione answered with a half smile, thinking back to all the Christmas celebrations she had had with Harry and Ron in the past.

Lily gave her a pained look, placing her hand over her heart. “Oh, Hermione, I’m such a rubbish friend. This time of year must be so difficult for you, being your first Christmas away from your friends at Beauxbatons. I should’ve asked you about it. What was it like there?”

Time was fickle, it had actually been her second Christmas in the past, as she had arrived exactly one year ago to the day. She had spent her first Christmas day in the past working with Dumbledore to secure her alibi as a transfer student from Beauxbatons at the start of the new term.

“No, no, that’s quite alright. I’m sure you don’t want to hear about that.” Hermione waved her hands in front of her and shook her head quickly. “It’s not like I’m French, anyway. I did grow up here and we moved when I was ten.”

Remus’ eyes glinted with a hint of mischief as he cocked his head and prompted, “That’s positively not true, I speak for the both of us when I say that we’d love to hear all about your many Christmases at _Beauxbatons._ ”

A half beat of silence passed between them as she stared him down, and he returned the look with an unwavering grin. Remus and Sirius were the only two who knew her history, though she hadn’t told them anything of _their own_ history. They had been the ones to find her in the corridor of Hogwarts on that first day, just outside Gryffindor Tower.

“ _Of course_ , Remus,” she replied in a sickly sweet tone. Her mind scrambled to piece together the conversations she’d overheard during the Yule Ball of Christmastime at the Academy. “There are…ice sculptures that never melt and white satin ribbons adorning the halls.”

“Oh, who wants to talk about decorations?” Lily asked with a dismissive air, placing her hands on her hips.

 _Apparently the students of Beauxbatons,_ Hermione thought dryly. That was about all she had heard from the other school. Most of the students had wanted to talk about dresses, dates, and the tournament.

Lily continued, “What kind of traditions did you have there? I find unwritten social customs fascinating. The French are just so mysterious, like that time I thought you slapped Evan Rosier in the face with a baguette, but then you explained that it was actually an autumn harvest ritual dating back to the 1200s, blessing him with good fortune and prosperity from the goddess of agriculture.”

She blinked. “Oh, yes. Exactly like that.”

Remus tried to cover his bark of laughter with a cough.

“There’s a longstanding tradition at the Academy that whoever finds the chocolate in their croissant at supper gets the honour of...beheading a snowman in the gardens with a rather large icicle.”

Lily’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, I get it, the French way.”

Hermione nodded seriously, ignoring how Remus’ eyes were watering from suppressing a fresh wave of laughter. 

“Well now,” Remus wiped the tears of mirth from his eyes as he glanced over his shoulder, “apologies on cutting this enlightening conversation short, but I promised I’d help James prepare a marching band to ask you on a date for the thousandth time. Please let him down easy, you know he’s extra sentimental around the holidays.”

Lily gasped, her mouth dropped open. “You’d best be joking, Remus!

“I suppose you’ll find out soon, won’t you?” Tossing Lily a quick wink, Remus slipped away from the conversation. 

“Those boys! I don’t know how you stand to spend so much time with them, I feel ready to pull my hair out most days,” she huffed, staring as Remus crossed the room over to James and whispered something in his ear.

Hermione couldn’t help the smile that crossed her lips. “I don’t know, they remind me a bit of some friends I had back home.”

“Yes, _friendship,_ I’m sure that’s exactly what you have on your mind.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“What I’m trying to say is that the holiday party is nearly over and you are running out of time for your big romantic declaration. Don’t keep me in suspense; is tonight the night that you finally admit that you fancy Sirius?” Lily nudged Hermione with her shoulder, causing another wave of snowflakes to shimmy across her torso from the motion. “Remus is right. You two spend every free second together, I swear you practically live in the Astronomy Tower.”

“I like the stars,” she mumbled, shrugging off her comment. She recalled the odd look in his eyes the first time she told Sirius that his namesake was the brightest star in the sky.

“Rumour has it, there’s mistletoe growing around the room if you want an excuse to make the first move.”

With a roll of her eyes, Hermione tossed Lily a look of incredulity. “You’re Head Girl. This is your party in your dorm. It’s not a _rumour_ when you set up the mistletoe yourself.”

“So, is that a yes?”

“That depends, is tonight the night that _you_ finally admit that you fancy James?” Hermione retorted, taking a sip of her frothy Butterbeer.

Lily practically snorted, ducking her head and turning away from the Head Boy in question as to not catch his attention. “Hermione! You know he’s had it in his head for years that we are soul mates, he doesn’t need the extra encouragement.”

A flash of green eyes, jet black hair and a lightning bolt scar passed through her mind. “You never know, you should give him a chance. What if your future kid is destined to be the saviour of the wizarding world?”

“Are you honestly trying to convince me to shag James Potter because I’m going to give birth to wizard Jesus?”

“God, no—I just meant—” 

She thought she felt her blood freeze just moments before Lily burst into a bout of laughter. “Oh my god, I know what it is. You’re desperate to divert the conversation so we don’t have to talk about how Marlene Mckinnon asked Sirius to the party tonight.”

Her grip on the cup tightened and she felt her stomach drop, like the sharp descent on a broom.

“Marlene can have him.” Hermione tried to sound disinterested as she took another pull from her drink. _Because I can’t_ , she added silently, feeling her chest clench at the thought of returning to her own timeline, of saying goodbye.

“Can she now?” Lily sounded amused as she glanced over by the fireplace. “For some odd reason I thought you might have a problem seeing them together. Ever since you transferred here, he’s hardly glanced at another witch.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

With a slight shrug, Lily added, “Of course you don’t. Just like you don’t care that she’s flirting with him right now but all he can do is stare over here at you.”

Hermione’s eyes flew up at that, catching on the smokey silver eyes across the room. Sure enough, Marlene was telling some animated story and laughing far too loudly, tugging at his jumper, but his eyes were fixed on Hermione. 

A small smile pulled at the corner of his lip.

She felt her pulse skip as she ripped her gaze away from him. A fresh bout of jealousy bubbled up under her skin as she tried to pretend she was unaffected by the sight. Despite her best efforts to avoid altering the past, no matter what she did, everything seemed to bring her back to Sirius. 

On those days when the knowledge of her past and their future grew too hard to bear, when she couldn’t even climb out of bed, everyone knew to find Sirius. He was the only one who could pull her out of the depths and back into the light.

He had been the first to find her, in more ways than one.

The very last thing Hermione had seen in 1996 was Sirius Black’s silver eyes fade away through the veil in the Department of Mysteries in her fifth year, just before she had been hit by a hex and fell backwards into the shelf of magical objects behind her. 

Then the world went black.

The very first thing Hermione had seen in 1977 was Sirius Black’s silver eyes looking down at her with concern as she cried out in horror, the echoes of Harry’s anguish still fresh in her ears as she landed on the cold stone floors of the corridors of Hogwarts. She had appeared just outside the portrait to Gryffindor Tower, and the last people she’d expected to see were a young Remus Lupin and Sirius Black exiting the secret entrance that she had used with Harry and Ron a dozen times before—one they’d found from the Marauders’ Map.

Sirius had recognised the trauma in her eyes, understanding her fear and pain as he had his own scars from his family. He was the one who had helped her calm her breathing, who grounded her and brought her to Dumbledore’s office, staying by her side the entire night.

Knowing that her time in the past had an expiration date, she couldn’t let herself admit that she wanted so much more from him. She knew in the back of her mind that Sirius should be living out his own timeline, dating Marlene and going on to fulfill his destiny with the rest of the Marauders before eventually losing his life in the Department of Mysteries on the night she disappeared.

Draining the rest of her Butterbeer in one gulp, Hermione waved the empty cup at her friend and declared, “I’d love to keep talking about your mad conspiracy theories but I’m rather thirsty and I’ve just run out of Butterbeer.”

She caught a roll of Lily’s eyes just as she turned to approach the table of food and drinks. A hand slipped around her waist and tugged her off to the side, she lost her balance and stumbled right into her abductor, nearly dropping her cup in the process. A small cloud of glitter exploded off her jumper upon impact.

Regaining her footing, Hermione glared up at Sirius, who was still holding onto her with a flirtatious smirk. His breath tickled her neck as he leaned down to whisper, “You don’t want to take a serving of the wassail, love, trust me on this.”

With a twist of her body, she shifted and Sirius’ hold dropped. She instantly regretted the movement, already missing the warmth of his hands. “What did you do to the wassail, Sirius?”

“I’m appalled you think it was me,” he replied in faux shock, pressing a hand to his chest with a wry grin. “I’m completely innocent here. It was all Moony.”

She half snorted. “Nice try, but you’re a terrible liar. Remus doesn’t drink, why would he spike the wassail with alcohol?”

“First of all, it was most certainly not a lie. Second off, I am a talented deceiver under the right circumstances. You’re talking to the Marauder who once convinced an entire flock of first years that there’s a rogue manticore that lives in the Forbidden Forest and survives solely on fresh turnips and children.”

With a gasp, she swatted playfully at his chest. “You’re incorrigible, you know that right?”

He grinned at her reaction and wiggled his brows. “Of course. No self respecting manticore would even dream of eating a turnip.”

“And exactly how many is a flock of first years?”

“No greater than thirty, no fewer than eight.”

His hands settled on her waist and he spun her around to face the table, holding her in place. She couldn’t seem to convince herself to move away again, instead she focused on the sensation of his hands resting gently on her waist. “Just watch,” he murmured into the shell of her ear, sending a delightful shiver down her spine.

Peter Pettigrew was circling the table of treats, snagging a mincemeat pie before making his way to the drinks. Carefully balancing the pie in one hand, he began to ladle the hot cider into his cup, filling it to the brim.

“You’re not going to warn him?” she asked. His head was in the space above her shoulder, just next to her neck. 

All she could think about was how she was only a breath away from his lips.

“He hasn’t been particularly festive so far and I have an inkling that this will get him in the Holiday spirit. Plus, why are you concerned? I know you think you’re clever at hiding it, but I can tell you can’t stand him.”

Every time she saw Peter, her vision narrowed and a flood of anger overwhelmed her. The longer she was in the past, the more she felt the gut wrenching burn of his betrayal that would come in just a few years' time.

Peter took too large of a bite of his pie, and tried to wash it down with a swig from his cup. The moment he swallowed the liquid, he dropped the cup and the remainder of the pie before bellowing out, “Jiiiiingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the waaaaay!” 

Just as quickly as he had begun singing, he stopped with a hiccup, looking down at the spilled cider in confusion. 

“Okay, I retract my earlier assessment, that does seem rather like something Remus would do,” she admitted, too distracted by his proximity to come up with her usual snarky retort. “He started singing Christmas carols before Halloween was even over.”

”It’ll wear off in ten minutes or so, Moony wouldn’t be cruel enough to make us suffer Wormtail’s singing any longer than that.”

She could smell his aftershave, like sandalwood and spice and her mind grew hazy from the scent.

Sirius released his hold on her and she felt her shoulders sag in disappointment as she turned to face him. There was a sound of crinkling foil and he thrust a Christmas cracker into her hands. The table with sweets and drinks had a pile of the foil covered paper tubes but none had the silver and red wrapping that this one held.

“You expect me to open this knowing what you Marauders did to the cider?” she asked, giving him a look of amused disbelief. “What’s it going to do? Turn my hair purple? Cause me to tap dance uncontrollably?”

“Though you’d look stunning with any colour hair, I’m rather fond of it as is. This Christmas cracker was made especially for you.”

After a moment of deliberation, she placed it on the nearby end table for safekeeping. “I’ll open it later then, I promise.”

There was a loud snap followed by a bout of laughter nearby, and Hermione looked over just in time to see a group of their classmates don tissue crowns that they retrieved from their own Christmas crackers. Fewer than a dozen people remained, and at some point Marlene had left as well. Hermione fought the growing urge to ask Sirius what happened.

“Lily tells me that you’re staying at school for the Holidays.”

Though Lily was out of her line of sight, Hermione still shot a glare in her friend’s general direction. “My parents...well, visiting them isn’t exactly an option at the moment. It’s best I stay at Hogwarts over the holiday.” She twisted her hands together, thinking about how her mum would meet her dad in a university literature class next spring.

“You know that my family is complicated too, probably better than just about anyone.” He lowered his voice and his eyes softened as they searched hers. “We could spend it together, you know, if you wanted.”

“You’re going home with James, aren’t you?” she prodded, recalling the stories Sirius used to tell her and Harry of Christmas traditions at the Potters. 

Those memories felt like a lifetime ago.

“Not if you’ll be here alone,” he murmured, lowering his voice so his words were only for her ears. “You know I’m always here for you.”

She wondered if he could hear her heart hammering against her ribcage. “I know, Sirius, but you shouldn’t have to give up a holiday just for me.”

“I wouldn’t be giving it up, I’d be taking full advantage of all this castle has to offer. Extra pie at the feast, no snoring in the dorm, and not to mention that I can borrow a full suit of armour from the third floor to wear around on Christmas day.”

“Those are fixed in place now with a few dozen sticking charms after the one outside History of Magic stalked Snape around for an entire day during the first week of school,” she informed him with a wry smile, dropping her cup into the rubbish bin just behind them. “I’m surprised you talked your way out of detention for that one.”

“There was no evidence that it was me, outside of his mad ramblings. It’s my personal theory that Snivilius has a rather large magnet shoved up his arse which attracted the suit to follow him,” he asserted, but the impish glint in his eyes said otherwise. “That being said, I haven’t even mentioned the biggest advantage of staying at the castle over holiday.”

She waved a hand for him to continue. “Which is?”

“I get you all to myself.” The low rumble of his words caused her to press her lips together at the same moment as her thighs. “I never have been good at sharing.”

Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, she swallowed the lump in her throat. “Sirius Black, you’re always such a flirt.” 

“Only for you, love.”

“Don’t you mean only for _Marlene_?” There was a sharp biting undertone of jealousy to her question as the words slipped out before she could stop herself.

His brow knitted in confusion and she felt her blood run cold. “What about her?”

“I thought…I just thought since you two came as dates tonight.” Her voice felt small.

“What? No, I mean she asked but I told her I already had plans with someone else.”

“But Lily said—”

Realisation flashed over him and a slow, crooked grin spread across his cheeks as he whispered, “Hermione, don’t tell me you were _jealous_?”

Heat crawled up her neck and she felt her cheeks flush. “N-no, I just—it’s late, I’m going to go—”

“Wait—” His hand caught hers and he pulled her into the short hall that led to Lily’s room, out of view from the remaining students still lingering in the dorm.

A glimpse of green in her peripheral caught her attention, and she looked up at the mistletoe just above them.

“You had no reason to be jealous, little witch. _You_ were my other plans.” With each step he took forward, she took one back until finally her shoulders bumped into the stone wall. 

She felt her breath catch in her throat.

His eyes flicked down to her lips. “I’ve been waiting all night for mistletoe just so I could have an excuse to kiss you,” he murmured.

Her breath caught as his hand gently cupped her cheek and his fingertips disappeared into her curls. “All night?” she asked with a teasing tilt to the question as a smile tugged at her lips.

“Well,” his thumb traced along her jawline as he leaned closer, “more specifically, all year, but to my utter dismay, I’ve found that it’s rather difficult to grow outside of winter.”

“You always did struggle in Herbology,” she quipped weakly, feeling her resolve dissipate as each second passed.

“Not _always_ , only recently, only after a certain curly haired witch joined the class and made it impossible for me to think about anything but her.”

“You shouldn’t, it’s not...Sirius, you should be with Marlene,” her voice grew desperate as her eyes dropped but she still couldn’t make herself pull away from him.

His fingertips brushed lightly against her cheek as a small crease formed between his brows. “How many times do I have to say it? I don’t want Marlene or anyone else. I only want _you._ ”

Her eyes snapped up and she felt her last bit of self restraint shatter. She closed the distance between them, claiming his lips with everything she had. Rising up to her tiptoes, she looped her arms around his neck and pulled him flush against her. He eagerly returned her kiss, breathing her in and pinning her against the wall.

Magic crackled in the air around them as his lips slanted against hers in slow exploration, his tongue gliding against hers.

Tangling her fingers in his hair, she deepened the kiss, drowning in him. Her knees parted and his thigh pushed against her center. She felt him smirk against her lips as he swallowed the needy sound that escaped from her. Shifting his stance slightly, he coaxed another whimper out of her, the change in pressure caused her hips to rock forward and his thick arousal pressed into her stomach.

She lost herself in his touch as his hands traced her curves before settling on her hips.

An odd sort of creaking sound crashed through the surface of her haze and she broke the kiss. When she glanced over his shoulder, panic filled her chest and she gasped at the sight around them.

His lips were red and swollen and he was looking at her with that crooked smile that liquified her insides. She placed her thumb under his chin and tilted his head upward. 

What had started off as just a small bunch of mistletoe had quickly expanded until it filled the entire space around them, effectively trapping them in the hall with no way out. 

Pulling out her wand from her purse, she began casting charms in quick succession, trying to slice or shrink the plant. Instead, the mistletoe seemed to grow from each attempt, winding and stretching through the remainder of empty space.

Hermione swore under her breath and pushed Sirius, guiding him the final few steps into Lily’s room. Closing the door firmly behind her, she turned to glare at him.

“You tried to charm the mistletoe, didn’t you?”

He threw his hands up in the air. “I wouldn’t have had to if you weren’t so damn stubborn. I can’t for the life of me figure out why you keep pushing me away.”

“ _I’m_ stubborn?” she asked, her voice raising as she prodded his chest with her finger. “It’s not meant to be like this, Sirius. You’re the one who—” Her words stuck in her throat.

“The one who what?”

_The one who made me fall in love with you, who will break my heart when I have to leave._

The truth twisted in the pit of her stomach as she lowered her voice to a raw whisper. “It doesn’t matter what I want. I’m not meant for you.”

With a look of utter bewilderment, he moved toward her until he was just a heartbeat away. “Hermione,” he breathed out her name in a way no one had ever said it before, “the only thing in this world that I’m absolutely certain of, is that you are.”

Blinking away the tears that blurred her vision, one spilled over and fell down her cheek. He captured her lips, this time his hands gripped under her thighs and he lifted her up into his arms. Wrapping her legs around his waist, his lips never wavered from hers as he carried her over to Lily’s bed.

Their bodies bounced slightly as they crashed onto the mattress, lost in a sea of daisy coloured sheets. At this new angle, her skirt piled up until it was barely covering her knickers and she felt his erection press against her cunt with only a scrap of soaked lace between them. 

“What did Mrs. Claus say when she looked up at the night sky and saw Santa?”

It took a moment for Hermione’s brain to catch up when she heard the question come from her jumper. With Sirius on top of her, he was covering up the design and triggering the riddle. 

His lips seared against her neck, nipping and sucking at that spot just below her jawline. Her mind swirled, trying to focus. “Umm...shit,” she panted, arching her neck to offer him better access as she tried to think of the answer. “Oh deer?”

The tickling sensation began to build at her sides.

Frantically trying to regain her wits, she whimpered when she felt his hand slip just under the hem of the jumper.

“Love at frost sight?” She was barely fighting back the urge to laugh, her senses were overwhelmed as his fingertips traveled north.

He snorted at the pun, his hips rotated against her core and she felt her mind go blank.

“It looks like rain dear?” she asked with a groan. 

This was absolute _torture._

She could feel him smile against her skin and the jumper finally halted the malicious tickles.

“I’m going to kill you for that,” she muttered, threading her fingers in his hair and pulling him back to cover her lips with his. 

“What is the best present you can receive for Christmas?” Frosty asked in his infuriatingly cheerful voice.

With a frustrated groan, she pushed Sirius off of her just enough long enough to tug her jumper up and over her head, agitating her already wild curls. She hadn’t thought to wear a bra that night and in the moment, she couldn’t care less. As she tossed it across the room, she heard Frosty’s muffled voice fade away.

“Fuck,” Sirius swore under his breath, his pupils were blown as he took in the sight of her breasts rising with her inhale, her nipples pebbled in the slight chill of the room. “Was that your answer because I’m inclined to agree, I think you’re going to kill me.”

In a momentary burst of bravery, she bunched the material of his jumper in her fist with a question in her eyes. He grinned wildly, breaking their eye contact by divesting the garment and dropping it next to the bed. 

The tips of her fingers traced up his torso with a featherlight touch, and she felt his breath hitch, his lean muscles tensed under her.

This time when his lips met hers, it was sensual and slow. He tasted her lips, breathing in her air. His hands skated ever so slightly along the narrow of her waist and she arched up to meet his hands. He tugged her closer, tipping his chin to deepen the kiss. His tongue slipped along hers and she made a soft sound of approval, encouraging him to continue.

Her fingers curled against his naked chest, and he grew more bold in his movements, rutting his arousal against her. Without leaving her lips, he brushed across her taut nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger and sending a fresh wave of need down to her core.

She memorised the way he gasped into her with each roll of his hips against the searing hot heat between her thighs, locking it away so she could never forget the sound.

Even if she couldn’t have him forever, she could have in this moment and it would have to be enough.

Dipping his head, he captured her nipple in his mouth, swirling and flicking the tip with his tongue. On instinct, she arched her back off the bed, chasing his lips and mouth. 

His hand cradled her hip bones with his fingertips resting on the waistband of her skirt, which was now bunched up so high that it was practically a belt. His hand traveled up her inner thigh as he traced slow circles on her skin before pausing at the band of elastic. 

“So bloody perfect,” he whispered as she lifted her hips up, allowing space for him to peel them off and add them to the growing pile on the floor. “So bloody wet for me.”

When his head disappeared under her skirt, she tried to clamp her thighs together in panic, only for him to gently pry them back apart, hiking her leg up and resting it on his shoulder.

“Sirius,” she squeaked out, covering her blushing cheeks with her hands. “You don’t have—” She gasped, silenced by the feeling of his mouth on her cunt.

He lifted his head up just long enough to smirk and reply, “I absolutely do.” His lips wrapped around her swollen clit again and he breached her waiting heat with a lean finger as his tongue worked against her. 

“Gods, Sirius, don’t stop.” She tangled her hands in his hair, urging him to continue. The flat of his tongue was hot and insistent, drawing punishing patterns on her bundle of nerves.

After a few minutes, he paused for air and murmured, “I’ve dreamed about you for so long, love. The things I want to do to you.” His voice was like an aphrodisiac, and she could do nothing but give a strangled whimper in response. 

He added a second finger, stretching her with delicious torment. With each thrust, he drove his fingers deeper inside her, crooking them up until she was seeing stars.

Tension coiled inside her and she began to tremble, her thighs shook around his head and her fingers gripped his hair tighter with each passing second. She lasted a few more minutes before she came apart for him, tossing her head back and moaning his name.

“Sirius,” she breathed out, “I need you.”

He dropped his trousers and trunks in one motion and she felt the weight of the bed dip as he slotted himself between her legs. With a twist of his hips, he lifted her thigh, opening her wider before lining himself up against her entrance.

She felt the blunt head of his cock brush easily through her soaked folds, and just before he kissed her, he smiled and she felt her heart swell in her chest. He pushed forward, sheathing himself partway into her before releasing a shaky breath against her lips. After waiting a moment for her to adjust to his thick size, he slid in further, bottoming out and swallowing her gasp as he filled her completely.

Shock waves of pleasure rumbled through her as he began to move, her hands scrambling for purchase on his shoulders as she succumbed to the sensation of him hitting new spots deep inside her. 

She had never felt so _full._

He rubbed circles into her clit, mimicking the rotation of his hips. She was so sensitive from her first orgasm, it took hardly anything before she was teetering on the edge of her second.

“I’m so c-close,” she pushed the words out, barely a tight whisper.

He rested his forehead against hers, watching her as her orgasm dragged her under. Magic soared through her bloodstream like a current and her body vibrated with pleasure as she tightened around his cock in waves.

Falling to balance on his elbow, he quickened his pace and the sound of skin on skin filled the room with each jut of his hips.

Just a moment later, he lost himself in her. She watched in awe as his breathing and movements grew frantic, his hips stuttering and losing their rhythm as he found his release, pulsing into her. He collapsed onto her and the pair clung to each other as they caught their breaths.

Sirius’ eyes were heavy and full of affection as he looked down at her with a lopsided grin, dropping kisses on her lips, cheeks, nose, and forehead. His hair was tousled and his lips ravaged and she knew she probably looked even worse, with the addition of bruises along her neck.

Their hands found each other, interlacing their fingers. She kissed him, messy and slow, wanting to savour every sensation, every second with him.

He cast quick charms for contraception and for clean up before wrapping her up in his arms. She melted into his embrace and they laid in bed, a mess of tangled limbs until she regained control of her legs again.

“We should probably get back to the party…” she whispered, partially hoping that he would disagree.

“We can go back to the party if you insist, but if you think I’m not staying with you over the holidays now then you’re mad, little witch.” He placed a kiss to her temple and helped her stand up from the bed. 

They dressed quickly and she gave him a shy smile as he opened the door back to the hall. When the door opened, they found a thick wall of mistletoe so dense that they could hardly see gaps through to the other side.

“ _Evanesco._ ” With a flick of her wand, Hermione vanished the overgrown plant, clearing the space in front of them and the rest of the main common room in one fell swoop. It looked like the final few guests had left the party as soon as the invasive plant had expanded past the hall. 

There was a creak from around the corner and the door to James’ room opened. Lily and James rushed out and stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of Hermione and Sirius.

“Oh! There you are, were you stuck in there hiding from the mistletoe too?” Hermione asked, catching the way James’ hand rubbed at the back of his neck and Lily’s swallowed hard.

“The mistletoe?” Lily’s head cocked slightly in confusion before she glanced at the closed door and back at Hermione. “I mean, yes! It was that...pesky mistletoe.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sirius give James a look of pure pride.

“Looks like someone got started on creating wizard Jesus tonight,” Hermione snickered, covering her mouth as a peal of laughter escaped her lips.

Lily’s cheeks flushed a bright red. “Oh, like you’re one to talk! Sirius is quite literally _covered_ in sparkles. It looks like he rubbed himself all over you from head to toe.”

Sirius’ grin widened in confirmation and Lily made a face of disgust. “Come on, you guys had an entire year to figure this out and you had to do it _in my bed?_ I am not sleeping there until it has been _scourgified_ and I burn a mountain of resin to cleanse the space.” 

“That’s quite alright, I have a feeling there’s plenty of room in James’ bed in the meantime,” Sirius quipped, raising his brows at his best mate who was mouthing something vulgar back at him.

Out of her peripheral, she saw the red and silver Christmas cracker that Sirius had given her earlier that night. She crossed the room and picked it up, tugging on the ends, ripping the foil and opening the paper tube in one motion. Sirius quickly followed behind her.

Inside was a miniature golden telescope, built to scale.

“It expands to full size, designed for easy transport,” Sirius explained, resting his hand on the small of her back. “For our nights in the Astronomy Tower.”

“You hardly ever look at the stars,” she whispered, inspecting the intricate details of the telescope. It looked far more expensive than anything she’d ever owned.

“I’m usually too busy looking at you,” he admitted with a small shrug.

She hummed softly under her breath, looping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. “Thank you, it’s perfect.”

“I thought we could go up on Christmas Eve, bring some of those chocolate chip biscuits you love from the kitchens and watch the sun rise on Christmas day. We won’t be at Hogwarts next year but if you’d like, we could make it a yearly tradition.”

Her mind wandered back to Harry and Ron, to her parents and the life she used to have, of everything that she knew about the future.

When she looked up into those silver eyes, she was lost. 

Her heart was in 1978 and there was no going back. She didn’t know how, but she had to find a way to fix everything that was to come.

“I’d love that,” she answered with a smile that felt as natural as breathing, basking in the way his eyes lit up when he saw it.

Lily and James walked up to meet them and Hermione noticed their hands laced together. A grin spread across her face as she met Lily’s eyes. 

“Okay, I know we aren’t exactly good at keeping secrets,” Lily sighed, sharing a look with James, “and we figure we should tell you now that we talked tonight—”

“I’m sure you did a lot of ‘ _talking’_.” Sirius’ elbow collided with James’ rib, and he pushed Sirius away with his free hand.

“—and the two of us have grown a bit closer this year, living together and working together, and tonight...well, we’re not going to fight it anymore. We’re going to try to date and I hope it doesn’t change anything between all of us.” 

Hermione could see James give Lily’s hand a gentle squeeze and she seemed to relax from the touch.

“Of course it wouldn’t, you two have been practically married since first year,” Sirius asserted with a dismissive wave. “Honestly, I doubt we’ll even notice a difference minus the lack of James’ constant pining.”

Lily looked expectantly at Hermione, her lip curving up into a teasing smirk. “And you two?”

“We’re not going to fight it anymore,” she echoed Lily’s words, looking up at Sirius as tears of happiness formed in the corners of her eyes. “Guess it goes to show that even if our minds have other plans, some things are just meant to be.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr at curlykay :)


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